School says sorry for homework asking students to list positives of slavery

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A private school in the US has apologised for 'offensive' homework in which students were asked to list positive aspects of slavery.

UpdatedUpdated 12/01/2018

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A Wisconsin private school that asked fourth graders to list three good reasons for slavery and three bad ones apologised to parents after the mother of a black student shared the assignment on Facebook, calling it offensive.

In a letter to parents, Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Wauwatosa agreed the homework was offensive and said it "showed a lack of sensitivity." It also thanked the student's mother for bringing the issue to their attention.

"The purpose of the assignment was not, in any way, to have students argue that ANY slavery is acceptable - a concept that goes against our core values and beliefs about the equality and worth of people of all races," the letter said.

A parent raised concerns over the slavery assignment with the school.

SBS News

Trameka Brown-Berry, the parent who shared the assignment online, said the school explained the assignment as a way to have students think about why white people once thought it acceptable to own slaves. She said it's good for students to learn about slavery but that the assignment's question was shocking.

"You wouldn't ask someone to list three good reasons for rape or three good reasons for the Holocaust," she told The Associated Press.

She posted a picture of the assignment after seeing her nine-year-old son, Jerome, struggling with his homework and "looking real confused."

She saw he'd already listed bad reasons for slavery - "making them do your chores," "splitting up families" and "punishing them." He made sure to mention he is proud to be black.

But his mother said he couldn't think of any good reasons for slavery. She said she suggested he just write how he felt so he wrote: "I feel there is no good reason for slavery that's why I did not write."

The school's principal, Jim Van Dellen, and the senior pastor, Andrew Steinke, did not return calls from the AP. They signed the letter, which Brown-Berry said she helped write.

Brown-Berry said the principal agreed to her suggestions for addressing the matter, including written and verbal apologies to students and parents and cultural diversity training for staff. She said the teacher has also apologised to students.